Are film cameras more sexy than digital ones?

garry71

garry71

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Garry
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Yes
I don't suppose I'm the only one here who gets a camera out just to have a look and a play with it.
I never do this with my digital ones, only the film cameras. Even my point and shoot film cameras seem more pleasing to have.
I like the build quality and heavier weight of film cameras. I need to get a dslr, but I'll probably end up with an old Nikon FM instead!
 
I've been fondling, polishing and button twiddling my new Pentax ME all evening.

Digital bodies all look so utilitarian and boring. Film ones at least have a bit of style.
 
Well - "back in the day" when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and people shot in manual because that's what cameras were, and Modes were the dyslexic opponents of Rockers, I'd spend hours just playing with the camera. I'd practice and work on being able to set a particular f-stop and shutter speed combination without looking - just by clicks. I guess the habit kind of stuck with me, and I still find myself idly clicking away at the settings - even if it's on a modern camera where it's via a scroll wheel and quick control dial like my 7D or EOS-3. I just find it satisfying to be able to control the camera without having to keep looking for the controls.
 
i tend to agree, the only digital camera that looks good is the fuji x100 and that is because it looks like an old film camera. The old bodies just look nicer, they have a bit more character and they are all engineering marvels, especially when you consider most were made before computers were widely used and proliferated.
i highly doubt that in 20 or 30 years, current digital cameras will still be used
 
absolutely, my old pentax spotmatic looks infinitely cooler than my canon. Even the earlier spots without a hot shoe look better :) that little bit more slick!
 
Well I get a throb using my film cameras that I don't get using my battered P&S IXUS 870 IS ;)
 
Yes!
This camera has made my 450D gather a large amount of dust!


img0152f.jpg


Its weighty, and has a lovely shutter noise!
 
I definitly think that film cameras - especially those from the early 60's to mid 80's before the autofocus revolution by the Dynax 7000 - look way better than digi bodies or AF bodies, their smaller and lighter and just have those lovely aesthetics with the of metal, the standard 50/55mm lens and the look of the pentaprism, wind on leaver etc. Modern cameras just look like their there to be used, not look good. Whilst I could understand that with a professional DSLR, all of the tough pro bodies in the 80's looked way better in my opinion.

Thmaga said:
Yes!

Its weighty, and has a lovely shutter noise!
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My dad shot a couple of frames on my Dynax 5 and he commented on how nice a shutter sound it had along with the motordrive moving the film along when compared to his digi Pentax K-X, he does still use his ME Super occasionally and admits that he prefers the handling of it as its smaller and lighter.
 
Sorry, but IMHO people who use a lightbox of sorts because it looks cool or sexy, or because it makes a nice shutter sound are more gadget-geeks than photographers. Fair enough, if you prefer film media to digital (or vice-versa) , but to go by looks alone then I think you are missing the point of photography.:razz:;)
 
NigelPaul said:
Sorry, but IMHO people who use a lightbox of sorts because it looks cool or sexy, or because it makes a nice shutter sound are more gadget-geeks than photographers. Fair enough, if you prefer film media to digital (or vice-versa) , but to go by looks alone then I think you are missing the point of photography.:razz:;)
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None of us are saying that we use film cameras specifically for those reasons, their just added extras! Plus you try finding a DSLR (not a compact system camera) as small and light as a Pentax ME Super or Olympus OM-1n, you would have a tough time finding one. Anyway what says that a camera has to look completely bland and ugly to be functional?
 
My DSLR is not bland or ugly IMHO and is functional. Reading some of the posts above it looked to me that style, looks and shutter noise come first. :eek:









BTW all tongue in cheek.....checkout the emoticons used in my post. ;)
 
Ah, that explains it. The words of a man who has not used a fully mechanical shutter ;)

Oh, your DSLR? How often do you have to recharge it's battery? Is it more or less than every two years? :p

*also note use of emoticons to signify non-seriousness of these allocations
 
Enjoy your deformed leather handbag of a camera Nigel, I'll stick with my work of art hewn from solid brass. :p
 
Oh I, film cameras are defo sexier than digi. My F3 is a work of art, makes a wonderful shutter sound, takes great pictures and is solid enough to be used as a truncheon without sustaining damage. :thumbs::D

Andy
 
s162216 said:
None of us are saying that we use film cameras specifically for those reasons, their just added extras! Plus you try finding a DSLR (not a compact system camera) as small and light as a Pentax ME Super or Olympus OM-1n, you would have a tough time finding one. Anyway what says that a camera has to look completely bland and ugly to be functional?
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Or one that doesn't need batteries!

Ah been beaten to it, never mnd!
 
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I find the AF on my 7d sexy but the build, look an sheer quality of the lenses on my G2 are something else. Seeing the sharpness achievable by the lenses and the flair control send me all of a quiver! ;)
 
Well - I'll admit that there is a certain amount of gadget geekery in my post ^^^ - though I prefer to think of it as an apprecation for quality engineering (Hardware and Software - as I'm equally geeky about dijikal :lol:), and an aspiration to ensure "my side of the bargain" - the nut behind the camera, is capable of living up to what the kit can do.

I'm the same with most things I do - I like bikes - so I've got a nice fancy shimano equipped carbon fibre adorned flyer for day-to-day riding. I've also got a very nice reynolds tubed bike from the 80's which is gradually getting rebuilt with period part Campagnolo Record equipment. I've also got a Dawes Super Galaxy frame (one of the last of the Lugged and Brazed era jobs) that's rigged with sturdy 9 speed Ultegra/Deore XT kit for when I eventually get to have holidays again. If I was minted, I'd probably indulge my fondness for car's and have a garage full of them as well.

My point is, just because I'm a bit nerdy about the kit, it doesn't mean that I don't pick the right kit for the job. If it's a paying job, or something that's highly unlikely for me to be able to repeat, then I'll be shooting on the 7D digital thankyou. I may have the EOS-3 as a backup, as they'll share lenses, but i'll not be relying on the film. If it's a personal shoot, then the kit will be selected by what I want to get out at the end of the shoot. If it's something that will be getting heavily PP'ed - such as some of my POTY entries this year, then I'll probably not shoot on film. If I just want to challenge myself to shoot without the benefit of chimping, instant feedback, and still get it right in camera, then I'll take a film camera and a roll or 2 of E6 please.
 
I suppose it's fair comment to accuse us older bods of being on a sentiment trip in part at least - but an increasing number of very young photographers are also appreciating that cameras lost something in the change to digital.

Show me the modern day flagship DSLR where you can slide off the prism and flip out the screen which has a substantial plastic surround to handle it safely rather than needing a pair of fiddly tweezers, blow off the dust and pop it back. Show me the one which still has a full range of mechanical shutter speeds when the batteries fail - My Canon F1N does. Which is really the better well rounded pro tool?

The convenience of digital is fairly obvious to us all, which is why most of us here have feet planted firmly in both camps, but if I had to get rid of my gear it would be the film cameras which would be the biggest wrench.:'(
 
***but i'll not be relying on the film.****

How on earth did they manage before digital, esp the war photographers up to their neck in muck and bullets...erm just think of all the great shots in the past (that we will never know about) that were missed because they were using a film camera and not digital ;)
 
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Yep, digital feels more about convenience.

I've just bought a used Leica R7 and it's gorgeous to handle and use.
 
Anyway - to answer the original question, the short answer is "Yes."

The longer answer is "yeeeeeeeeeeessssss." :D


f1n by tonky8203, on Flickr
 
excalibur2 said:
***but i'll not be relying on the film.****

How on earth did they manage before digital, esp the war photographers up to their neck in muck and bullets...erm just think of all the great shots in the past (that we will never know about) that were missed because they were using a film camera and not digital ;)
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Brian - If i'm doing a paid job, I like to know that the job is in the bag before walking off site. I remember biking rolls of film around to the processors to check the shots were okay before dismantling a set and off-hiring props etc. Believe me, it's an awful lot easier and nicer to shoot tethered to the laptop and SEE that the shots are perfect as they happen. It's a tool for the job, no more, no less - much the same as using a chopsaw rather than a handsaw if you're framing out a building. Both will do the job, but one's a damned sight easier, and only a fool deliberately makes his own job harder.

Now, for my personal stuff - it's completely different, and I enjoy using the film kit. I also enjoy the chemistry bit after the shoot - in fact, If I wasn't developing my own film, I think I'd quite possibly stop using it altogether. At the moment, the only time that I'll farm out processing is if it IS for a paid job, where I can pass on the costs of the pro-lab, and have them to blame in case the chemistry bit goes awry!

I'm also pretty damned sure that modern war photographers aren't souping their B&W films in a couple of tin helmets anymore - if Rob (Arkady - formerly of these parts) was anything to go by, a matched pair of the latest Nikon Pro D3s bodies, and half a dozen fast full-AF lenses would be nearer the mark. Like it or not, Digital IS the industry standard now, and we remaining film users are generally viewed as something approaching a bunch of cranks :shrug:

That's me - a crank - and proud of it!
 
CT said:
Anyway - to answer the original question, the short answer is "Yes."

The longer answer is "yeeeeeeeeeeessssss." :D


f1n by tonky8203, on Flickr
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Fair enough...that does look sexy.............I suppose. :)
 
CT said:
Anyway - to answer the original question, the short answer is "Yes."

The longer answer is "yeeeeeeeeeeessssss." :D


f1n by tonky8203, on Flickr
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Wow that's in incredibly good nick!

My Rollei 35 is a bit of a looker too :D
 
desf, Did you get that R7 off ebay ? There was one there in the last few days and it went relatively cheaply. I had my eye on it, but did not pursue it.
As regards film camera - are they sexy. Definitely a 'YES'. When I go out into town the women never pay me any attention, and I am better looking that Warren Beatty,Robert Redford, and Danny Devito. Hang a film camera round my neck and they are virtually tearing the breeks off me. Just got a Canon T90 so I dare not go out with that.
 
Thmaga said:
Wow that's in incredibly good nick!

My Rollei 35 is a bit of a looker too :D
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LOL. It should be - it had never been used when I bought it - still in the box and I could have bought another 7D for what it cost me. No regrets at all - it's a camera I've always lusted after and it gives me enormous pleasure.

I have a Rollei 35 - only the LED version unfortunately - but everything still works on it - or it did the last time I saw it. :thinking:
 
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CT said:
LOL. It should be - it had never been used when I bought it - still in the box and I could have bought another 7D for what it cost me. No regrets at all - it's a camera I've always lusted after and it gives me enormous pleasure.

I have a Rollei 35 - only the LED version unfortunately - but everything still works on it - or it did the last time I saw it. :thinking:
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I only have the 'B' version, not quite as pretty as the one with the front dials.

My most recent love affair is with a Voigtländer Vito B I had given to me in pristine condition!
Aside from some sticky speeds below 1/125 it has the nicest viewfinder of any camera I've used, it somehow has a better view of the world than my own eyes..

I'll have to take some shots of it...
link for now.. http://www.ken.lyndrup.dk/Engelsk/Voigtlaender%20E/Vito%20B%201957%20E.htm
 
That looks damned pretty Sean. Careful mate ....it's a slippery slope! :D
 
Its beautifully made, the opening mechanism is more interesting than most, and it has a lovely sliding switch which makes the rewind knob pop out.

I'm sliding down rapidly at the moment...I'm up to about 10 or so cameras and I'm only 17!
 
****Brian - If i'm doing a paid job, I like to know that the job is in the bag before walking off site. I remember biking rolls of film around to the processors to check the shots were okay before dismantling a set and off-hiring props etc. Believe me, it's an awful lot easier and nicer to shoot tethered to the laptop and SEE that the shots are perfect as they happen. It's a tool for the job, no more, no less - much the same as using a chopsaw rather than a handsaw if you're framing out a building. Both will do the job, but one's a damned sight easier, and only a fool deliberately makes his own job harder.***

Yeah I know...but a few situations you only have one chance of a shot (maybe seconds) so you either got the shot or you didn't, so I suppose depending on your age decides what you trust more i.e.film or digital for those moments ;)
 
Thmaga said:
I only have the 'B' version, not quite as pretty as the one with the front dials.

My most recent love affair is with a Voigtländer Vito B I had given to me in pristine condition!
Aside from some sticky speeds below 1/125 it has the nicest viewfinder of any camera I've used, it somehow has a better view of the world than my own eyes..

I'll have to take some shots of it...
link for now.. http://www.ken.lyndrup.dk/Engelsk/Voigtlaender%20E/Vito%20B%201957%20E.htm
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Voigtlander B and C, very sexy and cool. These are mine.


Vito-C by andysnapper1, on Flickr


Vito-B by andysnapper1, on Flickr

Andy
 
I find older film cameras unbelievably attractive, but I'd say that there's 50% camera appreciation, and 50% general vintage love on my part. I just have an unhealthy passion for all things old: if I see, for instance, a Citroen DS or Datsun 260Z in the street, I could literally spend 15 minutes or more just walking round and staring at it like a retard despite having seen plenty before, something I'd never do with a Lambo or a new Aston - old machinery really does get to me on a whole different level. As far as cameras go, I received a '62 Ilford Sportsman in the post today, and whiled away a good hour just polishing up the metal and 'playing' with it. On the occasions when I've bought digital cameras, I've just opened them and used them straight away without any real interest, purely as a means to an end.
Having said that, there is something about the whole experience of using a film camera recreationally that I love, from the shutter & winder noise, to the mixture of joyful anticipation and dread when I open the envelope of prints from the developers'. Obviously, there are times when I couldn't really do without a digital, like when I'm putting stuff on eBay and need instant pics, or when I want to capture something of genuine value to me and want to make completely sure I've got it, then and there.
 
not all film cameras are sexy...

Konica Aiborg... about as sexy as a can of angling bait - unless you've got the hots for Darth Vader of course...

 
pityacka said:
desf, Did you get that R7 off ebay ? There was one there in the last few days and it went relatively cheaply. I had my eye on it, but did not pursue it.
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Yep, that's the one and it's mint. Better nick than I expected even. :)
 
Morinaka said:
I really can't explain why i prefer them, i just love how some of them look, here's three of mine that i like above the other 45 cameras i own.
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That Zorki and the folder are lovely, I've never liked the look of the Tseries cameras, FD lesnes have a certain quality about them though.
 
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